Dakota Cochrane meets Johny Hendricks in new WBKFF main event with Brennan Ward out

Johny Hendricks has a new opponent for Friday’s inaugural World Bare Knuckle Fighting Federation main event after Brennan Ward pulled out of the card due to a contract dispute.

The former UFC welterweight champion Hendricks (18-8 MMA) will now fight Dakota Cochrane (31-12 MMA) on the card, which takes place at the Casper Events Center in Casper, Wyo. The card streams via internet pay-per-view.

The promotion announced the switch today via press release.

Ward, a former Bellator star, claimed the bare-knuckle promoter “won’t honor the contract that was originated” for a fight with Hendricks. Ward wrote on Instagram that he “had to decline this fight and do what’s best for me.”

As a result, the promotion was forced to scramble for a new headliner. It found Cochrane, a 32-year-old who has won his past four MMA fights and has proven to be a willing short-notice candidate throughout his fighting career.

For more on the upcoming MMA schedule, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.